Straight Faced
by RaiLei
Summary: oneshot. Tired of Jade's attitude and smirk, Luke tries to break that facade, only to have it backfire.


Luke couldn't believe it.

Twenty thousand Gald – gone, just like that.

If his bank account was checked . . .

Anise would whine that she needed the money.

Tear would just roll her eyes and shake her head.

And Natalia would kill him.

That was _why_ he wasn't going to leave his room. There was no way he'd live it down. Why else would he be sitting in his room, blinds drawn, staring blankly at the floor?

Twenty thousand Gald . . .

_Twenty thousand . . . _

Mieu only shook his head at the replica's actions.

When he returned an hour later, perched on Natalia's shoulder, Luke hadn't moved. The red head was still perched on his bed, staring at the floor. Natalia blinked in surprise, the light from the hallway illuminating the room, the lone occupant cringing from the light.

"Really Luke," Natalia chided, rolling her eyes. "What're you doing in here? Guy and Jade are already up."

Luke let out a groan at the mention of the other two, flopping down onto the bed. "Don't you start on me, Natalia – I don't have time for you now."

"Time for what?" Natalia said, stretching a hand out, turning on the lights. "I mean it Luke – it's already after lunch, what would father say?"

Luka shrugged, turning over. "It's got nothing to do with you."

"That's a fine answer," Natalia said hauntingly, hands on her hips. "Now get up – whatever you did last night _can't_ be that bad."

Luke snorted, glaring at Natalia over his shoulder. "I can _just_ see that smug look on Jade's face . . ."

"Jade?" Natalia echoed, letting out a sigh. "What happened this time?"

"He'll never let me live it down," Luke mused, ignoring Natalia. "He'll have something smart ass to say, for once I'd just like too –"

"What are you talking about?" Natalia grumbled, turning on her heel. "I suppose I'll find out soon enough – just hurry up already," she said, closing the door behind her.

Luke grumbled, rolling his eyes as the room was encased in darkness once again. He ignored Mieu as he climbed up the bed, mumbling _"Master?"_. Dragging himself out of bed, he quickly ran a hand through his hair with a shrug, tossing on his familiar white coat. Mieu grinned, rocking back on his heels as he watched Luke, perching himself on his shoulder as he opened the door.

Twenty minutes later, his footsteps heavy, Luke made his way down the _many_ stairwells the castle seemed to have. Mumbling to himself, he crossed the sprawling foyer and down yet another corridor, glancing at the door at the end of the hall. Nodding vaguely to the soldiers he past, he rolled his eyes as he heard his friends' voices – Anise's being the loudest.

"I can't believe you did that Natalia," he heard Anise whine. "I wanted to wake Luke up."

Luke rolled his eyes; Anise . . . she was _still_ after money. "Well Anise, I don't think Tear would appreciate –"

"What about you?" Anise said, her voice rising. Luke rolled his eyes; he could just imagine Anise standing up in her chair, pounding her fist against the table. "_You_ went in there – you're not even his fiancée anymore!"

Luke paused outside the door, his hand on the door. He waited, but Natalia didn't say anything. Guy, however, let out a laugh. "Come on Anise, don't tease her so much."

"Yes, thank you Guy." Luke heard Natalia say, shaking his head as he moved to push the door open.

"At least tell me you _saved _me some lunch," Luke said nonchalantly, glancing around the room.

"Ah, Luke!" Anise chirped, leaning over the back of her chair. "I saved you a seat here, you can sit by me!"

"Er . . . thanks Anise," he said, dropping into the seat between Guy and Anise.

"Luke," Anise started, glancing from Natalia to him as she leaned closer, grabbing his arm. "It's not fair that Natalia _always_ gets to wake you up – tell her to share!"

Guy let out a laugh, shaking his head. "You make him sound like a prize, Anise."

"Well, he is," she chirped, grinning around Luke. "But you are too, Guy! Luke's already taken . . ."

"My, my," Jade said, Luke's expression darkening as the Colonel spoke. "Luke sure is popular."

"At least more then you are," Luke remarked, the words escaping before he could stop.

"Luke!" Natalia reprimanded, the red head turning his scowl on her. "What's gotten into you?"

"Luke here is just jealous," Jade said calmly, glancing from Natalia to Luke. "You may have the women after you, but that'll just drain your bank account."

Luke's expression darkened, gritting his teeth as he tried to ignore the Colonel. He had that _annoying _grin on his face that he wore throughout their entire journey . . . "Just shut up Jade," he grumbled, propping his chin in his hand. "That wasn't . . . I am _**never**_ playing against you again!"

"What're you talking about?" Anise asked, glancing up at Luke. "What'd you _do_ Colonel?"

"Yes, Luke," Natalia agreed, her eyes narrowed. "What happened last night?"

Guy let out a laugh, leaning back in his chair. "I'd tell them if I were Luke, otherwise they'll get the wrong idea –"

"Guy!" Luke shouted, his face red, the same time Anise shouted; "Luke! You _didn't_!"

"Luke just lost some Gald," Jade said, his face straight amid the commotion. "He wanted to prove he could beat me at Poker."

Anise smirked, unable to let things go. "_Strip_ poker?"

"Anise!" Natalia shouted, as Guy grabbed Luke's arm; the red head fuming by that point. "That's just . . ." she shook her head. "How much was it Luke?"

". . ." Luke sighed, shrugging out of Guy's grasp. "Twenty thousand Gald . . ."

Natalia's eyes narrowed. "How much? I didn't quiet hear you right."

Luke sighed, embracing for an earful. "About twenty thousand Gald."

"_Twenty thousand_ . . ." Natalia shook her head, a smirk on her lips. "Father's going to kill you."

"Luke," Anise whined, standing up in her chair, looming over him. "How could you? You could have just given it to me!"

"I tried to tell him," Guy said with a sigh. "But, he was sure he could beat that smirk off Jade's face."

"Ugh, that's so stupid, Luke!" Anise yelled, throwing her hands over her head. "No one can beat him – I _tried_ to beat him at Battleship once . . ." She sighed, slumping back down, mumbling to herself. "Maybe I should just cut my chances here . . . try for Guy instead . . ."

"Tear's supposed to be back from Yulia City today, isn't she?" Natalia broke in, glancing at the ceiling. "Imagine what _she'll_ say when she finds out what happened . . ."

"She'll kill him," Anise shrugged.

"You're all mean, I'll have you know," Luke grumbled, picking up a spoon.

"Don't worry, I'd cry over your corpse," Anise said. "Hey – maybe we can get Jade to bring Luke back –"

"So, why are we crying over Luke's corpse, Anise?"

The occupants of the table blinked, freezing at the new voice. Mieu, the only one unfazed, jumped down from the table, his ears flopping from the movement. "Tear! Master was being _bad_ while you were away –"

"Shut up, _thing_," Luke grumbled, grabbing the Cheagle. "He's just talking nonsense, you know that. Just ignore him, I do."

---

A/N -

Mushroom Road had (in my opinion) boring music so I had the radio going.  
Naturally, Poker Face by Lady Gaga had come on  
&& all I could think was that Jade would be hard to beat at Poker.  
I could see this happening as a skit in the game.


End file.
